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Californian farmers are to use up to 25% less water

California government received an offer from farmers: in order to help fight the severe drought, they agreed to cut their water usage for 25%.

California government received an offer from farmers: in order to help fight the severe drought, they agreed to cut their water usage for 25%.

When state officials threatened farmers to limit their water usage rights, hundreds of farmers have decided to compromise. A 25% decrease is already demanded from cities and towns.

But according to critics, the governor Jerry Brown did too little effort in order to solve the problem of drought. They say he didn’t manage to reduce water usage of farming industries.

California in drought

For a really long time farmers resisted the state’s demand of cutting water. But the agreement between the farmers and the state’s Water Resources Control Board shows that California’s drought has become even more intense.

On Tuesday, The US Drought Monitor showed that about 94% of California suffered the severe drought while farmers use 80% of water in the state.

Statistics of the California’s drought

Nothing similar like that agreement happened during the last 30 years. It forces farmers in the the delta of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers to obey new rules as they own senior water rights.

Hundreds of junior water holders have reduced their water usage already. On Thursday, 350 farmers organised a meeting where they discussed an attempt to shirk further water usage cuts.

The state’s water master for the delta Michael George is not sure whether all members are going to join the voluntary agreement, but he believes that majority will do that.

During last few weeks residents started complaining about the farming industry, saying they have been forced to reduce water usage while farmers don’t even try to do that.

Farmers are given time till June 1. On scheduled date they are to show plan of the water cuts.